Description:

Identification is not easy and takes practice to allow separation from the similar Willow Tit. Marsh Tits resemble a miniature Great Tit in shape and appear less round-headed, no-necked than the Willow Tit. The black cap is glossy in colour and does not extend as far back down the nape as that in the Willow Tit. The upperparts are a uniform brown, darker on the wings and there is no pale wing panel. The black bib is slightly smaller than in the Willow Tit and is more neatly defined.

While these visual characteristics are not completely reliable in the field, the calls of the two species are different and when heard should allow correct identification. The most commonly heard call note is a clear ‘pitchou’, whereas that uttered by the Willow Tit is a thin ‘zi-zurr-zurr-zurr’ or equally thin ‘zee-zee-zee’.

Ecology & Behaviour:

Despite their name, British Marsh Tits are birds of open deciduous woodland, mature gardens and parkland. They are very scarce in coniferous woodland and are absent from urban areas. Their overall distribution across Britain is similar to that shown by the Willow Tit, though they do not extend as far north (they do reach southeast Scotland).

Marsh Tits do not excavate their own nest hole in the same way as Willow Tits, but they will enlarge natural cavities to some extent and they will also take over sites excavated by Willow Tits. Intriguingly, Marsh Tits do not take readily to nestboxes, something that may be due to competition with other tit species. Marsh Tits are great hoarders of food, though less so than Coal Tits.

Garden BirdWatch links

An article on the Marsh Tit appeared in Issue 30 of the Bird Table magazine. GBW Particpants can download this from the participants' only pages.